Gate-latch.



G. G. SHOFF. GATE LATQHL APPLIOATION FILED ram-'14, 1910.

Patented July 26, 1910.

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UNIT STATS GATE-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26, 1910.

Application filed February 14, 1910. Serial No. 543,808.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLnoN C. SHoFr, a citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, county of Greene, and State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in gate latches and has for itsobject the production of a device of this character which shall beinexpensive of manufacture and effi cient in its operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a gate latch themechanism of which shall be protected from the weather, therebyrendering the device not only more durable but compact and neat inappearance.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter fullydescribed and more particularly pointed out in the appended clalms.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings formin a part of this specification, and in whicFigure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved gate latch in itspreferred form, Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the portion thereof whichis attached to the gate post, Fig. 3 is substantially a verticalsection, and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View showing the portion ofthe latch which is attached to the gate.

Referring now to the drawings 1 designates a portion of an ordinary gatewhich is adapted to swing as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l.

2 designates the gate post and 3 a bottomless casing attached thereto bymeans of screws 3 which pass through the perforated lugs 4: projectingfrom said casing. Projecting inwardly from the sides of the casing 3 areperforated lugs 5 and pivoted thereto by means of the rivets 6 areswinging dogs 7 the latter having reduced extensions 8 arranged adjacentto each other. These extensions are supported by a horizontal portion ofan L-shaped wire 9 which is mounted in a member 10 and adapted to havevertical movement therein. The member 10 is U-shaped in cross sectionand is securely attached to the gate post 2by means of nails, as shownin Fig. 3. Arranged beneath the dogs 7 and securely attached to the post2 is a transversely extending member 11 having a forwardly projectingconvex flange 12 the purpose of which is to support and guide a member13 which is secured to the gate 1.

In order to close the gate the same is moved to the position asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Further movement, as indicated byarrows, causes the member 13 to raise one of the dogs 7 by sliding underits lower surface. then the member 13 abuts the free end of the otherdog 7 the first dog will fall and lock said member in position.

In order to unlock the gate a dog 7 and the wire 9 must be raised and inorder to accomplish this the handle 14 is turned, which handle isprovided at the outer extremity of a horizontally disposed wire 15 journaled in the recesses 16 of the casing 3, said wire beingprovidedwith a bent portion constituting a crank which engages the wire9 and is adapted to move in the direction indicated in Fig. 3 in raisingthe wire 9.

It will be noted that the gate may be opened in either direction andwill be automatically locked when moved to the closing position.

l Vhile I have shown what I deem to be the preferred form of my improvedgate latch I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be variouschanges made in the details of construction and arrangement of partsdescribed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and henceI desire to avail myself of such changes and modifications as fairlyfall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Let ters Patent is:

1. A device of the class described comprising pivoted opposed dogshaving overlapping extensions; an L-shaped wire supporting saidextensions and mounted to slide vertically, and a wire provided with acrank-arm bend embracing said L-shaped wire, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination with a gate andgate post, a bottomless casing secured to said gate post on the sidethereof adjacent said gate, two lugs projecting into said casing fromopposite sides thereof and located adjacent the front of said casing, adog adapted to swing in a vertical plane pivoted to each of said lugs, areduced extension on the end of each dog adjacent to each other, themain surfaces of the free ends of said dogs being spaced apart, anL-shaped member, a vertical member U-shaped in cross section adapted toguide said L-shaped member and to permit a vertical movement, means forlifting said L-shaped member consisting of a horizontally disposed Wirejournaled in said casing having a handle at its outer extremity and asubstantially U-shaped bend constituting a crank portion adapted toengage said L-shaped member, a convex member secured to said postadjacent the under side of said dogs, and a member secured to 15 CLEONO. SHOFF. Witnesses JOSHUA R. H. Por'rs, W. C. SMITH.

